How to Create Launch Plan for a Site Web Presence

Much more work is involved with launching a Web presence than simply setting up a website. You need to set goals, make plans to engage website visitors and plan for Internet advertising, among other things. Whether its an e-commerce website selling tangible goods or a membership website offering digital content, creating a plan can help you prepare for your official launch and stay organized while doing so.

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Instructions

1

Define your website goals. Write down what you want to accomplish in terms of Internet traffic and visitors, sales, gaining customers or clients and/or overall success. Set a time-frame, such as six months or a year, for measuring the success of your website launch. Write down an official launch date for your website.

2

Check your website to make sure it functions properly. For example, perform cross-browser checks to verify that your website works in all major Web browsers. Confirm your website utilizes title and meta data (description and keyword tags, for example) important for search engine optimization. Design a favicon---the small icon that brands Internet browsers' tabs or windows---to help with branding of your website. Proofread your website for grammar, spelling and factual errors.

3

Set up social media accounts for your website one to two months before the launch. For example, set up Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and MySpace profiles and any other social media accounts through which you plan to engage. Creating your social media accounts allows you to advertise them during the launch.

4

Install an analytics tool on your website so you can track visitors and the effectiveness of your website. Free analytics tools include Google Analytics, Clicky and Woopra. These tools can tell you how many visitors you receive each day, from where visitors are coming, the browsers visitors use and statistics concerning the pages of your Web site, such as how long users remain.

5

Plan the website content that you want to publish during the launch. Make a list of topics you want to cover in your blog posts or videos. Create a list of ideas for e-books, tutorials or other downloadable content you want to send customers via email during the launch. Start developing this content at least one to two months before the launch.

6

Set an advertising budget. Decide which forms of advertising you want to use, such as pay-per-click, banner advertising or even off-line advertising. Research websites that cater to your target market and contact the webmaster for each one to ask about advertising prices. Make a list of websites on which you want to purchase banner spaces. Create accounts with pay-per-click vendors so that you'll be ready to create PPC campaigns.

7

Write a checklist of all the ways in which you'll interact with customers or website visitors. Set up the framework for these activities. For example, sign up with an auto-responder service if you want to build a marketing list and contact customers via email. Install trouble-ticket or help-desk software on your Web server if you want customers to contact you in this way.

8

Write press releases to announce the launch of your website. Make a list of the press release services to which you want to submit, such as PRLog, Newswire Today, Betanews and ClickPress. Submit your press releases approximately one to two weeks ahead of your official launch date with an embargo warning if appropriate.